The highly anticipated NCIS: Tony & Ziva spinoff promised to rekindle the chemistry and intrigue of Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo’s beloved duo. But by Episode 7, titled The Markham Dilemma, the cracks in the story are becoming harder to ignore — and this latest installment perfectly captures why some fans are finding it difficult to stay emotionally invested.
A Deeper Look at Jonah Markham — But No Clear Payoff
Episode 7 shifts its focus almost entirely to Jonah Markham (Julian Ovenden), peeling back layers of his alliance with Aranow and their shared disdain for Graves. On paper, it’s a classic spy-thriller setup — fractured loyalties, hidden agendas, moral gray zones. Yet despite the attention, Markham’s motives remain frustratingly vague.
We learn that he’s a dangerous man, possibly even a “dark empath,” according to Archie’s analysis. But beyond that label, the show offers little in the way of emotional depth or clarity. For a villain positioned as the season’s central threat, Markham feels hollow — a symptom of a larger storytelling issue that’s been building since Episode 1.
A Shaky Emotional Core
The emotional fallout from Henry’s death in Episode 6 hinted at the emotional weight Tony & Ziva could carry — grief, guilt, and Tony’s growing isolation. Yet Episode 7 does little to explore that aftermath. Tony’s pain is mentioned but never truly felt, and his bond with Henry remains underdeveloped.
This lack of emotional grounding weakens not only Tony’s character arc but also the entire premise of the spinoff. When a show built around two of NCIS’s most beloved characters fails to make audiences feel for them, even the sharpest action scenes lose impact.
The Lost Advantage of Streaming
Moving from network television to streaming should have been Tony & Ziva’s secret weapon. Without the procedural constraints of NCIS, the show had room to dig deeper — into backstories, relationships, and moral complexity. But instead, Episode 7 proves the opposite: the expanded runtime is spent on exposition without substance.
The scenes between Tony and Ziva still shine — their chemistry, their tension, and their struggle to balance love with danger all feel genuine. Yet outside of that dynamic, the world of Tony & Ziva feels thinly sketched. The villains lack dimension, the side plots fade quickly, and even the central conspiracy driving them across Europe lacks the pulse-pounding intrigue fans expected.
Missed Potential in a Promising Concept
Tony & Ziva could have been a masterclass in slow-burn storytelling — a globe-trotting thriller mixed with an intimate character study. Instead, by Episode 7, it’s clear that much of that potential remains untapped. The series knows how to make Tony and Ziva compelling; it just hasn’t figured out how to make everything around them equally engaging.
Until the spinoff learns to balance its heart with its high-stakes plot, fans may find themselves watching more out of loyalty than genuine excitement.
Final Verdict:
Episode 7 proves that Tony & Ziva has all the right ingredients — rich history, strong leads, and cinematic freedom — but still struggles with narrative focus. Unless the final stretch brings emotional depth and clearer motivations, this long-awaited reunion may leave fans longing for the days of classic NCIS.
